6 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
Many species have been eradicated by other species before and I would argue it doesn’t make the species evil.
The planet has gone through several mass extinction events, some caused by flora and fauna. I would argue that this doesn’t make this ancient flora or fauna. The mass extinction events may result in an earth inhospitable to the previous ecosystem, but new life comes out of it. Even mammals arose out of a mass extinction event.
I think there is an argument to be made that humans are in a unique position as the first species to be aware of our direct impact on a mass extinction event, and therefore we are making a decision. I would argue the awareness is the differentiator, not the outcome.
Flora over-oxygenating the atmosphere and causing a mass extinction event still caused mass death and the eradication of species, but was without any awareness.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oxidation_Event
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event
Comment by [deleted] at 25/01/2020 at 16:58 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Yes I agree, the argument is exactly as you state. As sentient beings we are the outlier in the argument and our very awareness of what we are doing makes us accountable. Have you read what I was replying to?